Crisis-Torn Venezuela Remains a Member of the UN's Top Human Rights Body

"The United Nations' secretary-general and top human rights official on Tuesday both expressed concern about the political crisis in Venezuela, but neither statement addressed the fact that the Nicolas Maduro regime is a member of the U.N.'s top human rights body.

Amid calls for the Human Rights Council to convene an emergency 'special session' on the crisis, secretary-general Antonio Guterres' spokesman explained that it was up to HRC member-states to decide on the agenda – and up to U.N. member-states at large to elect the members of the Geneva-based council.

'The HRC is a legislative body of the U.N. and it is up to the members to decide on the agenda,' Stephane Dujarric told CNSNews.com from New York.

'As for Venezuela's membership on the HRC, it's up to [U.N.] member-states to elect members of these legislative bodies. It's not a process for the secretary-general to comment on.'

Dujarric added, however, that there was 'an expectation that every member-state will uphold the principals enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international covenants.'

'As a matter of principle, those countries that sit on human tights bodies have an added responsibility.'

Venezuelan police overnight arrested opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma – the mayor of Caracas – a day after Maduro threatened to jail critics of Sunday's controversial vote in favor of creating a constituent assembly to rewrite Venezuela's constitution. At least ten people were reportedly killed in violence linked to the vote.

'Maduro is not just a bad leader,' President Trump said in a statement read out by National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster. 'He is now a dictator.'

Asked during a press briefing in New York whether Guterres shares that view of Maduro, Dujarric said it was 'not for the secretary-general to comment' on the U.S. assessment..."

Date

August 2, 2017

Title

Crisis-Torn Venezuela Remains a Member of the UN's Top Human Rights Body, CNS News